The Hindu : Kerala News : Sever defence ties with U.S.: Pinarayi

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Sunday, Jan 02, 2005

Kerala

Kerala

Sever defence ties with U.S.: Pinarayi

By Our Staff Reporter

GURUVAYUR, JAN. 1. The CPI(M) Polit Bureau member and State secretary, Pinarayi Vijayan, has demanded that India sever all defence ties with the United States which is pursuing imperialist policies across the world.

Inaugurating the district-level conference of the party here today, Mr. Vijayan pointed out that the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) Government at the Centre in its Common Minimum Programme (CMP) had promised to implement an independent foreign policy. So the Government should call an end to joint military exercises, joint missile development programmes and other collaborative projects with the U.S. in the defence sector. These programmes are pursued in the name of the country's security interests, but it must be realised that any collaborative programme with the U.S. in the defence sector will be detrimental to national security, Mr. Vijayan said.

Similarly, India should wind up strategic ties with Israel. Instead, the country should develop ties with the countries in Latin America, the European Union and Africa and Russia and China. If the UPA Government deviates from the commitments made in the CMP and sticks to the pro-imperialist policies of the previous National Democratic Alliance (NDA) regime, the CPI(M) will be forced to launch intense agitations, Mr. Vijayan said.

On the economic front, the UPA Government is trying to follow pro-reform polices as was the case with the NDA Government. The moves to reduce the interest rates on Employees Provident Fund, privatise profit-making public sector companies and to sell off Indian banks to foreign companies at throwaway prices are an indication of the anti-people policies of the UPA Government, the CPI(M) leader said.

Kunhalikutty issue

Mr. Vijayan said the way the UDF Government had handled the sex scandal case involving the Industries Minister, P.K. Kunhalikutty, was only one of the several instances of its efforts to protect accused people. Political protection is being offered to mafia groups and anti-social elements. He said the Government would have to pay a heavy price in case the Indian Union Muslim League indulged in any gimmicks with the belated resignation of Mr. Kunhalikutty.

Mr. Vijayan appealed to party workers to strengthen the organisation to wage a fierce battle against the anti-people policies of the State Government.

A host of party leaders including T.K. Ramakrishnan, S. Sarma, P. Karunakaran, MP, P.K. Gurudasan, A. Vijayaraghavan, MP, M.C. Josephine, T. Sasidharan, K. Radhakrishnan, MLA, A.C. Moideen, MLA, E.P. Jayarajan, K.K. Mamakutty, K.P. Aravindakshan, K.V. Abdulkhader, A.S.N. Nambeesan, P.R. Rajan and Baby John and the party fellow-traveller Lonappan Nambadan, MP, were among those present on the occasion.

Printer friendly page
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Kerala